


Rocks and Hard Places

by surestsmile



Category: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Genre: Gen, Jossed, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-04
Updated: 2011-09-04
Packaged: 2017-10-23 10:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/249205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surestsmile/pseuds/surestsmile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gai makes the hardest decision of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rocks and Hard Places

**Author's Note:**

> For 31 Days @ LJ. September 04. _Baby, you can kiss my friends_
> 
> Most inappropriate prompt ever. Also, this presumably takes place at the end of the season but given that the....season end has not yet come I fully expect this to be jossed. :)

They're waiting for him. In the wake of everything that has happened, between the Zangyack finally giving up on conquering earth and the sentai powers returning to their proper owners, Gai hadn't really thought about the fact that once everything was over, the gokaigers, his own team, would be leaving. In spite of how human they look, they had always been aliens, and Gai...he cannot claim to know everything about Marvelous, but he thinks he knows enough that his captain is more than happy to leave. They're pirates, as he is often reminded, and he knows that he's already stretched his luck in getting them to stay long enough to save his planet.

Gai just isn't sure if he's leaving with them.

Ahim is the first to voice her concern. "Mr Gai?" A small frown crosses her face, and she comes back down from the gangplank. "Is there anything you need? Mr Marvelous is keen to go soon."

"Aah," Gai says, forcing a wide grin. He scratches the back of his neck, one leg kicking at the ground while he tries to swallow the lump in his throat.

He wants to go with them. It's not just because they're his very own sentai team, although Gai admits that yes, yes, he's proud to be part of a team, damn fucking proud and _happy_ and he doesn't want that to go away. It's also because Gai thinks he's finally found his place in the universe, a space where he's free to express himself as a hero and no one thinks that he's just sprouting nonsense.

But Earth is his home too. Part of him wants to ask Marvelous if there was a chance, no matter how slim, that they could always come back, even just for short visits, but he's afraid that Marvelous, blunt as he is, would say no. Home, to Marvelous and the crew, is the galleon, Gai knows. Earth is not their home. Nothing except the galleon is their home.

"Gai!" Luka is the one calling now, arms crossed over her chest and Gai is running out of time. Marvelous is already one foot in his galleon, and now even he's frowning, which is bad. Gai feels tears of frustration prickling at his eyes, and then he yells, "Marvelous-san!"

His captain turns to face him, already rudely barking out, "What?" It hurts suddenly to see Marvelous like that, face hard and full of irritation and Gai bows deep. "Joe-san! Luka-san! Don-san! Ahim-san!" He's shaking, but he pushes the rest of the words through. It feels like glass in his mouth. "Thank you for all you have done!" Gai shouts, and then he is crying, big ugly rolling tears, but he doesn't care.

He feels someone catch him by the shoulders and it's Don, shaking him and asking him what's the matter, just come onboard, he'll make something hot to drink. Gai feebly pushes at Don, and now Ahim's here too, gently holding him and saying the same, coaxing words. He holds his ground though, sobs, "You should go," and then suddenly Marvelous is there, pushing the both of them away and shaking Gai roughly by the shoulders.

"What are you crying about," Marvelous says, voice still hard, but he's not angry. "Get on the galleon, Gai. Let's go."

"This is my home, Marvelous-san," Gai says. Marvelous knits his brows together, and looks to Luka, who gives him a knowing, _I told you_ look. "But I don't want to leave you guys either. I don't want to say goodbye," Gai chokes out miserably. "It's so hard. It hurts."

He leaves, _You're making it worse by staying here_ unvoiced, but they all hear it. Marvelous blows hard through his nose, and lets out a sound of frustration. The entire crew is looking at Marvelous, nervous and tense and Marvelous thinks that this is worse than all of the Zangyack attacks they've held off over the year combined.

"Do you want us?" Marvelous asks. Gai moans, "Yes," soft and broken and Marvelous looks at his crew. It's been discussed, behind closed doors and often nearly escalating into a fight. They want Gai, but Don had always cautioned against it because Gai is human and Gai should make his own choices. Marvelous had always simply watched over the exchanges, but now something's made clear to him. Even if he hates it, in times like this, the captain has to assert control over his own crew.

"We may never come back to earth again when we leave," Marvelous says, because it's important to make some things clear. Gai looks at him, eyes red and he nods. Marvelous drops his hands from Gai's shoulders, but steps in even closer. "There are so many things to see out there, so many different stars and planets. Some of them are so very different from your planet, and some will remind you of it. But I can promise you this; we will do our best to never let you miss this place, only look back on it with fond memories, if you come with us.

"We want you too," Marvelous finishes, and he leans in, holds Gai in place with one hand, and kisses him. Gai's eyes widen a little before falling shut, and he's hesitantly kissing back. Marvelous smiles and pulls back, and Joe steps up, all awkward limbs and he presses a kiss to Gai's mouth, breathing in deep. Luka's next, and she says, "Finally," before she kisses him, fierce and brief. Don is characteristically gentle, even apologising, "I wish it didn't happen like this," before he drops two quick kisses, one on each side of Gai's mouth. Ahim is last, and she murmurs a sweet, "Mr Gai," before she kisses him too. Gai looks at all of them as they back off, back to the gangplank, right at Marvelous' side. He can still taste them, but he doesn't know if it tastes of hello or goodbye.

"Come with us," Marvelous says, and slowly grins, ear to ear. He holds out his hand.


End file.
